OPEN LETTER TO POWER DYNAMOS
Dear Power Dynamos Exco
They say madness is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results; so it was the same painful end to the season of a Power Dynamos fan who had wished to finish in the top four with the increase of teams participating in CAF competitions.
Ba Exco let me say that am so close with passionate fans of this team and it was interesting to see how they kept changing their views of the 2017 season, starting from winning the title to finishing in the top four and eventually the usual thinking of ‘we shall come back next season,’ A very painful experience, especially with the high hype of Dan Kabwe and his five – year plan we were all made to believe was the blueprint of the 2012 league champions.
But what is really wrong at your Club?
Protests against the EXCO were increasing week after week and unfortunately, Dan Kabwe joined that list towards the end of the 2017 season… with a number of fans having called on some EXCO members and Dan Kabwe to walk out of Arthur Davies; of course this was following frustrating results in places were the team was expected to win.
Towards the end of the season, Power Dynamos’ hope of squeezing into the Super League top four relied on Nkana , Green Buffaloes of course with Lusaka Dynamos slipping up, but they all won easily on their way to finishing top of the Arthur Davies outfit to push Power to sixth.
It’s becoming a familiar story at Arthur Davis to have a team with so many promises before the season and end up in poor positions and I question whether the Exco has the will to turn the club’s fortunes around. That’s were the fans are calling for new blood as things never look different season in season out.
You as Exco won’t take the whole blame because what the current side lacks is the necessary mental strength to win the title. That was supposed to be the work of Dan Kabwe though he would say the material was not good enough.
I don’t know about your transfer policy but I thought your 2017 choices were not to the point while other teams were seriously preparing. I still don’t know the direct replacement of Patson Daka who was expected to be the main striker. You missed out on that one.
You were not different from most of the top teams. Let’s take an example, When you look at Zanaco of 2017 and Power Dynamos on paper, there wasn’t a huge difference player per player. So that means it was possible for Power Dynamos to win the title, better of finish in the top four . If Zanaco are managing , Power Dynamos can do it too.
So then with that thought even the players get the blame, I questioned their dedication to the team and it would be good to get their own assessment of the season.
As a player you have to be good at training all the time especially with demands of some teams in this country.
I think Power Dynamos players are not aware of what they can achieve. At some point you have to believe in your chances of winning. It takes self-management, self-discipline in the group. It could also be that they have become so comfortable and this is were the coach has to bring in a lot of competition, which was lacking last season. Larry Bwalya and friends are too comfortable.
Dan Kabwe is gone, I must confess I never saw that coming even with speculation over his future at the club, with fans becoming increasingly frustrated at the manner of defeats in big games.
But the work he had to do to change the fortunes of the club was always going to be difficult, because it is mental strength. What I saw against Nkana for example at Arthur Davies was a mental problem. And it’s not easy to manage that. At that point , something was missing.”
We’re deep into the new transfer window and it looks to be a case of the same old Power Dynamos. Unless you surprise me and others, It doesn’t look like we are again fighting to see the team win the title. Power Dynamos look like preparing to participate in the league only.
You even have a more huge task now of replacing Dan Kabwe and then getting players that are going to respond to the demands of the club and it’s fans. That’s no child play.
People have discussed Power Dynamos ’s lack of backbone, the type of players in their squad and whether they can take on a battle for a long time – and nothing has changed.
We all like to see great football, but when the going gets tough, there will be certain players you want to stand up to the challenge. For now, you don’t have such players and that is what I personally was waiting to see this transfer window with a fact that competition is getting tougher in this league.
These comments should annoy the players. If I were them, I would be angry that these comments are out there and that so many people agree with it. But they can’t just have a reaction against Konkola Blades and beat them carelessly at Arthur Davies and stop. It has to be every week.
The problem is, if it’s not in you as a player or as a squad, that toughness, that resilience, is quite hard to fake every time.
Power Dynamos have a great opportunity to bounce back this season, but they have to work extra hard.
Regardless of the result, Power Dynamos need to start showing some fight if they’re to be taken seriously as top four contenders. Pulling out of competitions isn’t that way if even Kabwe Youth Soccer Academy can participate.
If this continues as I have been saying, Power Dynamos will be used as a reference of Zambian football were other teams will visit them to go and learn how they did it in 1990.
Just like people go to the Museum to learn about history.
All the best ……. Ba Yellow
Bwezani Mbewe………
